Pudding composition containing lipid ester

ABSTRACT

A pudding mix composition includes, in combination with an amylaceous ingredient, a lipid ester surface active agent. The preparation of a cooked pudding therefrom is considerably simpler and is more tolerant of recipe preparation errors in that the tendency of the pudding to stick to the pan and to scorch the pan during preparation is reduced or eliminated.

United States Patent [54] PUDDING COMPOSITION CONTAINING LIPID ESTER 12Claims, No Drawings [52] U.S.Cl 99/139 A231 1/14 [50] Field of Search99/139 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2.461.139 2/1949Caldwell H 99/139 X 3,231,391 1/1966 Breivik 99/139 3.257.214 6/1966McDermott 99/131 X OTHER REFERENCES Atlas Surfactants, Atlas ChemicalIndustries, Wilmington, Delaware, 1963, p. 4.

Primary Examiner-Raymond N. Jones Assistant Examiner-J. Mv HunterAttorneys-Thomas V Sullivan and Bruno P Struzzi ABSTRACT: A pudding mixcomposition includes, in combination with an amylaceous ingredient, alipid ester surface active agent. The preparation ofa cooked puddingtherefrom is considerably simpler and is more tolerant of recipepreparation errors in that the tendency of the pudding to stick to thepan and to scorch the pain during preparation is reduced or eliminated.

PUDDING COMPOSITION CONTAINING LIPID ESTER BRIEF SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to a pudding mix composition and moreparticularly to a pudding mix composition in the form of 5 a dry powderwhich may be mixed with water and/or milk and cooked to form a puddingof superior characteristics. Still more particularly, this inventionrelates to a pudding mix composition offering considerable advantages tothe consumer and housewife in preparing a cooked pudding therefrom.

Pudding -mix compositions presently available may generally beclassified as two types: instant and cooked. In the so-called instantpuddings, the characteristic firmness and texture is usually obtained bythe use of coagulating agents such as calcium salts, phosphate salts,enzymes and the like. These coagulating agents serve to act on the milkprotein and to modify it in a manner whereby added thickening agents as,for example, pregelatinized starches, gums, hydrocolloids, and the like,function in a secondary role by furnishing additional firmness andtexture to the pudding. On the other hand, in cooked puddings thedesired firmness and texture are achieved by the use of raw starches orother amylaceous materials including cornstarch, potato starch, tapiocastarch, rye flour, wheat flour, and the like. In conventional cookedpudding mix compositions, raw cornstarch is widely'used as the solesetting or gelling agent and during cooking the starch is converted, bygelatinization, to the sought-after firmness and texture associated withcooked puddings. However, unless care in preparation is exercised, aconventional cornstarchcontaining pudding may stick to the pan, pot orvessel in which it is cooked. Moreover, if the cooked pudding is allowedto remain over the heat source too long, the pudding may scorch" and mayform and deposit a difficult-to-remove layer on the bottom and walls ofthe pan, pot, or vessel. While proper agitation and stirring of thepudding mix and reconstituting liquid and control of cookingtemperatures and times may reduce sticking or scorching, constantattention on the part of the consumer and housewife in the preparationof the pudding is required.

Although attempts have been made to avoid these disadvantages ofconventional cooked pudding mix compositions, such efforts have notvbeenwholly successful. For example, potato starch, tapioca starch, ryeflour, wheat flour, and combinations thereof have been substituted forall or part of the cornstarch to provide pudding mix compositions whichdo not have to be cooked to a full rolling boil during preparation. Yet,sticking and scorching may still result especially if a consumer orhousewife overlooks recipe directions calling for constant stirring oris interrupted in the preparation of the cooked pudding.

lt is an object of this invention to provide a pudding mix compositionwhich is adapted to furnish a pudding having a decreased need forcontinued stirring during preparation.

it is a further object of this invention to provide a cooked pudding mixcomposition in which the tendency of the pudding to stick to the pan,pot or vessel and/or to scorch if accidentally or intentionallyovercooked is reduced or eliminated.

The foregoing objects as well as others are realized by including in apudding mix composition containing any amylaceous ingredient a lipidester base surface active agent.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION pudding mix compositions, their use has been forincreased Aid" wetting, for decreased foaming, and/or for reduceddusting. Thus, in known instant pudding mix compositions,certainemulsifiers have been incorporated to minimize foam when thecompositions are admixed with cold milk. It is apparent, however, thatsticking and/or scorching, as are frequently encountered in cookedpudding preparations, are not problems of concern with instant puddings.

Suprisingly, it has been found that by adding a minor but effectiveamount of lipid ester base surface active agent a good degree of scorchresistance can be imparted to a cooked pudding. The pudding mixcomposition may contain a conventional raw, amylaceous ingredient suchas cornstarch, potato starch, tapioca starch, and the like andcombinations thereof. Amylaceous flours, e.g., tapioca, wheat and rye,modified amylaceous ingredients, e.g., modified starches, and mixturesmay also be included.

In a preferred embodiment, the amylaceous ingredient is cornstarch andthe modified amylaceous ingredient is a modified cornstarch. (Thecombination of a modified amylaceous ingredient with an amylaceousingredient in a cooked pudding mix composition is more fully describedand is claimed in our copending application, Ser. No. 754,471, filedconcurrentlyherewith.) The modified cornstarch is one whose gelationcharacteristics have been substantially altered from those commonlyfound in raw cornstarch. The modified cornstarch is characterized by itsminimized tendency toward retrogradation and by its ability to form athick, clear, soft-textured gel when cooked to its gel point which islower than that of an unmodified cornstarch. It appears that themodified cornstarch does not set up, that is, form a rigid, irreversiblegel, but instead because of the minimized tendency toward retrogradationcontrol of the texture of the pudding is achieved.

The amount of lipid ester surface active agent which may be used tobring about the need for less stirring during preparation and thedesired scorch-resistance may be varied. Thus, depending upon the typeof surface active agent and the kind and amount of amylaceous ingredientor ingredients as well as of other ingredients such as sugars which areemployed, the amount, by weight, may be from about 0.05 to about 2.0percent based on the total pudding mix composition. When polyoxyethylene(20) sorbitan monostearate (also referred to as Polysorbate 60) is used,which is a preferred embodiment, the amount may range from about 0.1 toabout 0.5 percent, by weight, of the pudding mix. Sorbitan tristearateand/or sorbitan monostearate may be included therewith to provideapproximately 1 percent total, based on the weight of the pudding mix,of surface active agents.

The surface active agent may be incorporated with some of theingredients of the pudding mix, usually sugar, flavor and color, and theblend is then admixed with the remaining ingredients. Colorintensification appears to result from this mode of addition.Alternatively, and preferably, the surface active agent is blended withthe total pudding mix ingredients. The surface active agent may, ifdesired, be first incorporated in a carrier, such as an oil or solvent,and then blended with the pudding mix ingredients.

The pudding mix composition may also comprise a thin boiling colloidalor cellulose gum system as provided for by including carrageenan,pectin, algin, or a cellulose derivative and combinations thereof. Thecolloids or gums while not essential, may be included in amounts, byweight, ranging from 0 to about l0 percent of the raw amylaceousingredient. Preferably, seaweed extract gum as, for example, carrageenanor algin is employed as as to provide additional firmness in thepudding.

Other ingredients in the pudding mix composition may include sugars suchas sucrose, dextrose, lactose, corn syrup solids and the like.Nonnutritive sweetening agents such as cyclamates, saccharins and thelike may also be employed to replace all or part of the sugars. Salt,flavor, and color may, of course, be added to the pudding mixcomposition. If desired, nonfat or whole milk solids and bulkingingredients as, for ex ample, nonsweetening carbohydrates may also beused.

Suitable levels in grams except for the surface active agent whoseamount is expressed as a percentage of the total mix, of the variousingredients for use with one pint of milk are, for

example:

Sugar 40-80 Rav. Starch l-30 Modified Starch 0-l5 Flours or other rawstarches 0-l5 Colloid or gum 0.3 Sal! l/4-3 Flavor/color As neededSurface active agent 0.05-2

In order to illustrate, but not to limit, the present invention, thefollowing examples are given:

EXAMPLE l A powdered vanilla pudding mix is prepared by blending in aribbon blender, 60 parts of sucrose, parts of dextrose, 28 parts of rawcornstarch, 1.5 parts of salt, and color and flavor as desired. To theblend is then added 0.15 part of Polysorbate 60 and the mix is furtherintimately blended.

3 to 3 /2 ounces of the resulting composition are added to 2 cups ofwhole milk. The admixture is cooked to a boil over medium heat with onlya minimum amount of stirring. The cooked pudding is then allowed to coolto develop its set.

It was noted that the pudding texture and flavor were not affected butthat scorch resistance had been achieved. Moreover, it was observed thattendency toward sticking to the cooking vessel was not apparent.

EXAMPLE 2 A dry vanilla pudding mix is made by blending 55 parts ofsucrose, parts of dextrose, 20 parts of raw cornstarch, 4 parts ofmodified cornstarch (Delta Food Starch 07444), 1.5 parts of salt, 0.2part of Polysorbate 60, and color and flavor as desired in a ribbonmixer for 20 minutes. I

3 to 3 /2 ounces of the blended mix are added to 2 cups of whole milk.The admixture is then cooked to a boil over medium heat. The cookedpudding is then allowed to cool to develop its set.

EXAMPLE 3 The procedure of example 2 is repeated in all essentialrespects except that 0.15 part of calcium carrageenan is included in theformulation.

EXAMPLE 4 A dry chocolate flavor pudding mix is made by blending 60parts of sucrose, l5 parts of raw cornstarch, 13 parts of cocoa powder,5 parts of modified cornstarch (Delta Food Starch 07444"), 4 parts oftapioca flour, 1 part of salt, 0.3 part ofcalcium carrageenan, 0.15 partof Polysorbate 60, color and flavor as desired in a ribbon mixer for 20minutes.

3 /2 to 4 ounces of the blended mix are added to 2 cups of whole milk.The admixture is then cooked to a boil over medium heat. The cookedpudding is then allowed to cool to develop its set.

Results similar to those found for the pudding mix composition ofexamplel are noted with examples 2, 3, and 4.

It is apparent that the pudding mix compositions of the presentinvention are extremely tolerant of variations in recipe preparations.Such tolerance and scorch resistance offer considerable convenience tothe user as does the diminished need for stirring during cooking.

While the present invention has been described with particular referenceto specific embodiments the same are not to be considered as being inany way limitative but rather reference should be had to the appendedclaims for a definition of the invention.

We claim:

1. A pudding mix composition comprising, in combination, a rawamylaceous ingredient and a lipid ester base surface active agent, saidsurface active a ent present in an effective amount such that on cookingsai composition a pudding having a reduced tendency toward sticking tothe cooking vessel is obtained.

2. A composition as in claim 1 in which said surface active agent is apolyoxyethylene ether of a fatty acid ester of sorbitan.

3. A composition as in claim 2 in which said ester is polyoxyethylene(20) sorbitan monostearate.

4. A composition as in claim 2 in which said raw amylaceous ingredientis selected from the group consisting of cornstarch, potato starch andtapioca starch.

5. A composition as in claim 4 further comprising a modified cornstarch.

6. A composition as in claim 4 further comprising tapioca flour.

7. A composition as in claim 4, further comprising a member selectedfrom the group consisting of carrageenan, pectin, algin and cellulosederivatives.

8. A composition as in claim 7 in which said member is carrageenan.

9. A composition as in claim 8 further comprising sugar, salt flavor,and color.

10. A composition as in claim 5 further comprising tapioca flour.

11. A composition as in claim 5 further comprising a member selectedfrom the group consisting of carrageenan, pectin, algin, and cellulosederivatives.

12. A composition as in claim 6 further comprising a member selectedfrom the group consisting of carrageenan, pectin, algin, and cellulosederivatives.

2. A composition as in claim 1 in which said surface active agent is apolyoxyethylene ether of a fatty acid ester of sorbitan.
 3. Acomposition as in claim 2 in which said ester is polyoxyethylene (20)sorbitan monostearate.
 4. A composition as in claim 2 in which said rawamylaceous ingredient is selected from the group consisting ofcornstarch, potato starch and tapioca starch.
 5. A composition as inclaim 4 further comprising a modified cornstarch.
 6. A composition as inclaim 4 further comprising tapioca flour.
 7. A composition as in claim4, further comprising a member selected from the group consisting ofcarrageenan, pectin, algin and cellulose derivatives.
 8. A compositionas in claim 7 in which said member is carrageenan.
 9. A composition asin claim 8 further comprising sugar, salt flavor, and color.
 10. Acomposition as in claim 5 further comprising tapioca flour.
 11. Acomposition as in claim 5 further comprising a member selected from thegroup consisting of carrageenan, pectin, algin, and cellulosederivatives.
 12. A composition as in claim 6 further comprising a memberselected from the group consisting of carrageenan, pectin, algin, andcellulose derivatives.